1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to management of network-based conference systems and finds particular application in audio-conferencing with a screen-based user interface.
2. Related Art
Although the majority of telephony based traffic is between just two parties, the technology to provide an audio mix between a larger number of people has existed on public telephone networks for several years. Commercial services allowing 3-way conferencing are available to users of digital exchanges and services which allow tens or even hundreds of users to be connected into an audioconference via operator control also exist. Telephony based audio conferencing now provides high quality audio for groups of 10 or more and it is cheaper and less intrusive than video conferencing; noise reduction algorithms have meant that the sound quality is increasingly good. On the other hand audio conferencing systems tend to be either expensive or awkward to use since they require either the memorisation of arcane dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) control codes or that users should set up the conference via an operator.
Telephony, or telecommunications, in this context is the type of communication which can be provided by means of a switch-based network and usually involves the establishment of a particular route through a network between terminals, a connection, by means of a set-up procedure. Communication for the course of a communication session, such as a telephone call, follows the same route through the network between the terminals. The connection is then cleared down at the end of the communications session. This is in contrast to a data network of the type in which packets of data may take different routes across the network and have to be reassembled in a correct order at a receiving terminal.
Internet based audio conferencing applications have started to become available. They allow groups of people anywhere in the world to talk to each other using packet switched protocols such as Remote Procedure Calls (RPC). These systems allow conferences to be set up and controlled relatively easily via a graphical user interface. This communicates with a server based application which controls which people can talk to each other. Users can see text labels or images which represent both themselves and other users and can take advantage of the relatively intuitive and powerful control and feedback facets of a graphical user interface. Many of these systems follow a xe2x80x98roomsxe2x80x99 based metaphor in which each conference takes place in a room. Users can wander from room to room taking part in conversations as they go.
The problem with this kind of system is that voice quality is contingent upon both the bandwidth of the connection to each user being sufficiently large and the overall performance of the network being above a given threshold. This makes it difficult to guarantee an acceptable level of sound quality for all users at all times. There is also a problem with echo caused by delays in digitally encoding speech from each user; this means that users hear their own voices repeated after a delay at the remote end(s) unless all users wear headphones. Finally some service providers are seeking to ban, limit or charge extra for services which use demanding protocols such as RPC.
There are a number of audiographic standards which already exist to support the integration of telephony with shared computer applications. Most notable of these are the ITU""s T.120, H.320, H.323 and H.324 series of recommendations which detail communication protocols appropriate for audiographic teleconferencing. These allow services to be constructed which involve the integration of telephony with computer applications and facilitate features such as shared electronic whiteboards. The T.120 standards are based on the premise that a client system will run software which is capable of integrating computer and telephony applications together. The disadvantage of these systems is that each client system must possess and be capable of running software which is compatible with the standard. System developers must also be familiar with the Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) upon which the system is based.
The issue of integration of communications services is discussed in xe2x80x9cThe Internet Telephony Red Herringxe2x80x9d by Colin Low, published in Hewlett Packard Laboratories Technical Report dated June 1996, Palo Alto, US, at pages 1-15.
According to the present invention, there is provided a management and control unit for a network-based conferencing system, the unit comprising:
i) an interface for outputting control signals to a platform for establishing audio connections across a network between users;
ii) an interface for receiving control signals from at least one platform for providing a graphical user interface to a user for use in controlling the network-based conferencing system; and
iii) access to a database for maintaining, including updating, management data relating to one or more existing conferences
such that the management and control unit can receive control signals input by a user at the graphical user interface in respect of an audio conference, output control signals to the platform for establishing audio connections, thereby establishing an audio conference connection between the user and at least two other users over the network, and output management data to the graphical user interface during an existing conference for use by the user in managing the conference.
Preferably the network is a telecommunications network while the interface for receiving control signals is an interface to a data network, such as the Internet. Preferred embodiments of the present invention can then enable users to enjoy high quality audio-conferencing which they can manage using a World Wide Web screen-based interface. Such embodiments can allow users to work on worldwide web based material yet not require that they
i) set up calls via an operator,
ii) remember DTMF control codes,
iii) invest in new telephony hardware, or
iv) install specialist software.
The management and control unit can be supported by a server, such as a Web server connected to the Internet, while the graphical user interface may be provided at a client, also connected to the Internet. The management and control unit can then provide a powerful and very versatile tool in providing audio-conferencing.
Audio conferencing systems according to preferred embodiments of the present invention can combine the ease of use of a GUI based system whilst also leveraging the reliable voice quality associated with the phone network. Such systems can impose minimum technical or cognitive requirements on each user and preferably use established protocols wherever possible.
The system can allow anybody who has simultaneous access to an Internet (or similar) connection, to provide the graphical user interface, and a separate directly diallable phone line to setup, control, record and clear down high quality audio conferences.
Preferably, the database is used to maintain updatable information specific to each user. This information can include for instance images of the users involved in a conference so that, whilst they are using the system, they can see annotated pictures of anybody else who is connected.
Not only is there no need for users to remember control codes but they do not need to know the phone number of other participants. Conferences can be made private and users can change their outgoing telephone number when they move from one location to another.
Although described in relation to the Internet, embodiments of the present invention would also be useful where connected to other networks in place of the Internet. Clearly, embodiments of the present invention would also be relevant where the user is connected to a less extensive network than the Internet, or to a company xe2x80x9cIntranetxe2x80x9d.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention demonstrate tight integration between software running on the client, the associated WWW server, an audioconferencing platform and a database.
Embodiments of the present invention allow a World Wide Web (WWW) based graphical user interface (GUI) to control a telephony based audio conference. No additional software is necessary at the client and the system can be available to any user with a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) connection to the Internet and a phone line.
The audio conferencing system can be linked with a Worldwide Web server and its associated database.
In preferred embodiments, the system is capable of keeping track of several parallel conferences each of which may involve several users. Each user can be shown the appropriate information detailing where they are on the system as well as where others are; this information can be updated whenever changes relating to a given user occur.
Each user can preferably control aspects of the system which they have the privileges to change. This should preferably be done without creating a conflict.
Finally the entire system is preferably designed so that users can be billed appropriately and so that it is secure against fraudulent use.